Welcome to Disability Benefits Help, an organization committed to helping claimants across the United States receive approval for disability benefits.
Since applying for Social Security disability benefits can be a difficult process, a disability attorney or advocate may increase your chances of being awarded benefits by helping accurately and favorably complete the complex paperwork, ensuring that all deadlines are met, and providing you with representation at a hearing. After submitting our web form, you will receive a 100% FREE evaluation of your disability claim. Disability attorneys and advocates receive compensation if you are awarded back benefits. We have no affiliation with the Social Security Administration, the agency at which you can apply for Social Security disability at no cost.
Do you live in West Virginia? Are you currently unable to work due to a physical or mental condition?
You may qualify for disability benefits in West Virginia if so. The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) offers benefits when individuals can’t work and earn enough money to cover their basic needs. If you meet disability requirements in WV, disability benefits can help you pay for essentials like food and housing.
The following overview will go into greater detail about the options available to you and how to qualify for disability in West Virginia. For more information specific to the details of your case, strongly consider discussing the matter with a disability lawyer.
Understanding The Definition Of Disability In West Virginia
The SSA allows individuals to seek disability benefits for physical and mental conditions. To qualify as a disability according to the SSA’s definition, a condition needs to prevent someone from participating in substantial gainful activity (SGA). In 2024, that means they’re unable to earn at least $1,550 per month if they’re not blind and $2,590 per month if they are.
A condition must also be medically likely to last at least 12 months or result in death to qualify as a disability. Be aware that other programs’ definition of a disability might not be the same as the SSA’s.
What Disabling Conditions Qualify In West Virginia?
The SSA Blue Book is a valuable resource for anyone first starting to research how to apply for disability in the State of West Virginia. It contains listings for over 200 conditions that qualify as disabilities.
Check to see if there’s a listing for your condition. In some cases, the listing for a specific condition might be within a general listing for a larger category of conditions.
The listing will also provide some information about the types of documentation you may need to include with your application. Naturally, you’ll need to show medical documentation proving a condition limits your working ability. If you’re seeking a type of benefits that’s only available to those with sufficient work credits, you’ll also need to show documentation of having earned them. The next section of this guide expands on that topic.
Types of Disability Benefits Available in West Virginia
The SSA offers two forms of disability benefits:
Familiarize yourself with both programs. You want to ensure you devote your time to applying to the right program for someone in your circumstances.
West Virginia Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI is available if you’ve earned sufficient work credits by working and paying into the Social Security system. For every year a worker pays into Social Security, they earn work credits. The amount of work credits they earn depends on their annual income. Four is the maximum number of work credits someone may accrue in a year.
A person becomes eligible for SSDI if they have a disability and have accrued at least 40 work credits. Of those, they must have earned at least 20 within the 10 years before they became disabled.
The SSA sometimes makes exceptions. For example, a young applicant might not have had time to earn sufficient work credits to qualify for SSDI. In some instances, the SSA will nevertheless approve an application from someone who doesn’t technically meet all the requirements.
West Virginia Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI is a needs-based program. An applicant doesn’t need to show they’ve worked, earned work credits, and paid into Social Security to qualify for SSI.
The requirements for qualifying for SSI are:
- Having a disability, or being over the age of 65
- Having limited or no income
- Having limited or no resources
Track how you spend SSI funds if the SSA approves your application. Be particularly vigilant about tracking when you spend SSI funds on a child’s expenses.
State of West Virginia Disability Programs
A condition needs to last at least 12 months to qualify as a disability per the SSA’s criteria. However, some conditions that prevent individuals from working don’t last this long.
Many states offer options separate from SSA disability benefits, like short-term disability, as alternatives in this scenario. Unfortunately, West Virginia doesn’t offer such a program.
However, individual employers may. Check your employer’s benefits package to find out if they offer short-term disability insurance, which may help when you don’t qualify for disability benefits through the SSA.
Find A Disability Lawyer In West Virginia
The process of applying for disability benefits in West Virginia can involve many tasks. They include:
- Researching your condition to determine if it qualifies as a disability
- Researching disability benefits programs to determine which might be right for you
- Gathering medical documentation to strengthen your application
- Completing and submitting a thorough application
- If the SSA denies your initial application, submitting a new one or appealing your case with additional evidence
Completing these tasks while also struggling with a condition that prevents you from working can be very challenging on your own. This is one of many reasons to enlist a disability lawyer’s help when applying for benefits in West Virginia.
The benefits of working with an attorney include:
- Getting case-specific insights from a legal professional
- Having someone help you gather documentation, complete forms, etc.
- Focusing on your health while someone else manages your case
To learn more, get started today by taking the Free Case Evaluation to get connected with an independent attorney who may be able to help with your case.
How Much Disability Can You Receive in West Virginia?
How much is disability in West Virginia? There’s no one answer to this question. Many factors can determine how much money you may be eligible to receive if you qualify for disability benefits in West Virginia.
Currently, the maximum monthly SSI benefit for individuals is $943. For couples, it’s $1,415. The maximum benefit available to someone who qualifies for SSDI is 3,822. Our free benefits calculator can give you a sense of how much you may expect to receive if you qualify for benefits.
